The Southern Railway, in a bid to increase operational efficiency and to ensure flexibility in operating the electrical multiple unit (EMU) trains, has launched 12-car services on the north section. With this measure the Chennai Division of Southern Railway has upgraded the existing nine-car EMUs to 12-car trains in the suburban railway network in three of the four sections except the Velachery-Beach Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) section. The suburban trains are operated on west section from Moore Market complex to Arakkonam via Tiruvallur and Avadi, Beach to Chengalpattu via Tambaram and MMC to Gummidipoondi.
A senior official of Chennai division said in order to ease the heavy congestion for commuters and creating uniformity in the operation of rakes on all sections the north section has been upgraded with 12-car coaches. Previously 12-car EMUs were operated on the Tambaram-Brach and MMC-Tiruvallur sections. The upgrade to 12 cars would result in a 21% increase in seating capacity, effectively enabling to accommodate additional 4 lakh passengers daily and helping in passenger safety and comfort, he added.
The division operates nearly 630 services daily in the four sections and transports about 15 lakh passengers daily. The upgradation of 12 cars from nine cars would help in increasing the carrying capacity on the north section from 2,500 to 3,500 commuters per trip.
While the upgradation of the 12-car coaches in the north section would ease commuter congestion, the commuters want additional services to be operated ti Gummidipoondi, though services are available till Sullurpetta.
T. Dhanasekar, a regular commuter from Gummidipoondi, said the locality having become an industrial hub with the presence of several big industries in the SIPCOT complex and more than 20 revenue villages present on the section, it is requested for operating more trains, as north section has remained neglected for several years. He said MRTS has more train services than on the Gummidipoondi section.
Social activist S. Suresh Babu, who is another regular commuter on the Gummudipoondi suburban section, wanted the Southern Railway to equip the railway station with loop lines for faster turnaround which could help in increasing the train services. Also the residents of Gummidipoondi, Ponneri and Athipattu, which are known to house hundreds of heavy industries with lakhs of workers visiting the factories want doubling of tracks of third and fourth lines to be extended from Athipattu Pudhunagar to Gummudipoondi Railway Station. This extension would create dedicated tracks for local EMU trains, enhancing the frequency and reliability of services for commuters traveling to and from Gummudipoondi.
A senior railway official said a new loop line at Gummidipoondi railway station for faster turnaround is planned to be executed as part of signal modernisation work and is proposed to be completed by August this year.
Published – July 01, 2025 12:03 am IST